By Onilede Titi Faith
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has condemned the Senate’s decision to maintain its bar on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing it as a direct assault on democracy and the will of the people.
In a statement on Thursday, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate’s action amounted to a “premeditated assault on democracy, a dangerous slide towards fascism, and a brazen disregard for the will of the people.”
The labour body recalled that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension had been voided by a court ruling, yet the Senate has failed to reinstate her even after the six-month suspension elapsed.
“The Senate’s recourse to a frivolous legal technicality, claiming the matter is sub judice, is the height of legislative bad faith,” Ajaero said. “It is a ploy to silence dissent, crush opposition, and manipulate the judiciary as a tool of political persecution.”
The NLC stressed that the continued exclusion of Kogi Central from representation amounts to disenfranchising an entire senatorial district, denying them participation in lawmaking, oversight, and resource allocation.
“This action is not only morally reprehensible but a direct attack on the Nigerian people,” the statement read. “By denying Kogi Central its voice in the Senate, the leadership is perpetuating exclusion, economic injustice, and sending a dangerous message that citizens’ votes can be invalidated by the whims of a privileged few.”
The congress further warned that the development could be “a test-run for emasculating opposition and subjugating the sovereign will” as the 2027 elections draw near.
